120 PECKHAM. [Vol. 1, 



ally jerking the third pair up liiglier over his hack, as though 

 unahle to get them into a satisfactorj' position, and the abdo- 

 men is kept twitching. At one time he carried on these 

 movements within oue-sixtli of an inch of the female for six 

 minutes, and at another time for five minutes; then she 

 dashed at him and it all started over again. 



This display indicates that the enlargement of the third 

 leg is useful in pleasing the female during courtship. In all 

 probability the similar formations in peregrinum, ccecatum 

 and Jiowardii serve the same purpose. 



At the same time that we discovered the new Habrocestum, 

 we found, for the first time in this neighborhood, some exam- 

 ples of A. leopardus Hentz. The male of this species is very 

 striking, from the fact that his clypeus is of a lovely turquoise 

 blue — a most unusual color among spiders, where the blues are 

 almost invariably metallic and iridescent. The male of leopar- 

 dus is also adorned by having the space above the first row of 

 eyes, extending to the second row, covered with brick-red hairs. 

 He matures, as is usual in spiders, before the female. His 

 courtship is as follows: 



On seeing the female, which he does when eight or ten 

 inches away, he approaches her slowly ; when within three or 

 four inches he begins to swaj^ from side to side bj' bending all 

 the legs on one side and extending the opposite ones, and then 

 reversing the process, at the same time advancing. The palpi 

 are stretched out sideways, thus exposing the blue clypeus. As 

 he moves, the female eyes him attentively and seems to be 

 interested in his display. When quite near her he raises the 

 first legs and holds them perpendicularly upward, and then, as 

 he comes closer, lowers them so as to touch her. This seems to 

 frighten her, and she runs off. The whole performance is 

 repeated six or eight times before she finally yields, either to 

 his boldness and persistence, as Mr. Wallace would have it, or 

 to the combination of these qualities with grace and beauty. 



Sometime ago we published an account of the mating 

 liabits of Synageles picata, not, however, giving any figures. 

 Having captured some fresh males and females earlj- in the 



